The Washington Commanders upset the Twitter GMs again Friday night, selecting Illinois defensive back Jartavius Martin with the No. 47 overall selection in the second round of the 2023 NFL draft.
Remember, Washington selected Mississippi State cornerback Emmanuel Forbes at No. 16 overall.
So what are the Commanders getting in Martin?
The 5-foot-11, 194-pound Martin is an explosive athlete, running the 40-yard dash in 4.46 seconds and recording a 44″ vertical leap. Much like his college teammate, Devon Witherspoon, Martin was a late riser, improving in each of his collegiate seasons.
While Forbes will play outside cornerback, Martin is a day-one starter in the slot. Additionally, Martin has the versatility to play deep safety for the Commanders.
Head coach Ron Rivera and defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio love physicality from their defensive backs, which fits Martin to a tee. Martin is one of the better tackling defensive backs in the draft class.
Here’s Lance Zierlein of NFL.com’s scouting report on Martin:
Versatile cornerback/safety prospect with the size and physical talent to play nickel back or align as a deep safety. A buttery smooth hip swivel allows him to glide and transition effectively from his pedal, but he has just average route recognition to stay connected to clever route runners. Martin’s speed and explosiveness at the NFL Scouting Combine was eye-catching, but he needs to play consistently to that speed on the field. A team will need to decide where to play him, but he has the potential to become an early contributor and a starter further down the road.
